Flow at Jacob’s Well is approaching zero. The USGS daily average for January 21 was 0.9 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is up slightly after rainfall earlier this week. Flow in the upper reaches of the Blanco River is reliant on baseflow provided by Trinity Springs, and Pleasant Valley and Park Springs only measure about 12 cfs (according to the USGS gage at Fischer Store Rd). Thankfully, the National Weather Service forecast still includes rain in the next few days.
In many ways, we are in the middle of a sneaky drought. Small rain events have supplied enough water to support surface vegetation, but they haven’t generated enough runoff to recharge area aquifers. With these dry conditions, rainfall is absorbed by exceptionally dry soils. After the prolonged dry conditions, it will take several consecutive rains to wet the soils before sustained recharge can refill the aquifers.
Read more from Wimberley Valley Watershed Association here.
